Footwraps (also referred to as foot cloth , cloth , dressing or binding , or with their russian name portyanki ) are rectangular pieces of cloth worn around the foot to avoid friction, absorb sweat and improve footing. Footwraps were worn with boots before socks became widely available, and remained in use by soldiers in Eastern Europe until the early 21st century.
Video Footwraps
Description
Footwraps are usually square, rectangular or less often triangular in shape. They measure about 40 centimeters (16 inches) on each side if square or about 75 cm (30 inches) on each side if triangle. Thin fabrics can be folded to produce a square, rectangular or triangular shape after folded. Footwraps Russian army made of flannel for use in winter and cotton for use in summer.
In addition to being cheaper and easier to fabricate or improvise, footwraps also dry faster than socks and are more wear resistant and torn: each hole can be compensated by wrapping cloth back in different positions. Their main drawback is that any folds in the winding, which easily occur during a march unless wrapped very carefully, can quickly cause abrasions or injuries. As a result, soldiers issued detailed instructions on how to install footwraps correctly.
Footwraps are notorious for the stench they develop when used under military conditions, where soldiers often can not change or dry clothes for days. Russian veterans often joke proudly about the smell of their shoes, referring to their footprints as "chemical weapons" that will defeat enemies unfamiliar with the smell.
Maps Footwraps
Military use
Footwraps are issued by soldiers and worn by soldiers throughout history, often long after civilians replace them with socks. Before the 20th century, socks or stockings were often luxury goods that were affordable only for officers, while the rank and file had to use wraps.
German
Prussian warriors wear FuÃÆ'Ÿlappen, foot shoes. The 1869 "Manual of Military Hygiene" suggested: "Footwraps fit in the summer, but they have no stitches and should be very careful; clean and soft socks are better." A German dictionary proverb in 1867 records the following saying: "A person's footwrap is better than anybody else's boots."
The German Wehrmacht used footwraps until the end of World War II. They continued to be used in the East German National People's Army until 1968.
Eastern Europe
Russian and then Soviet armed forces issued footprints since Peter the Great imported customs from the Dutch Army in the 1690s. Footwraps remain a standard issue in many Warsaw Pact soldiers. The Belarusian, Ukrainian and Georgian army finally left them for socks in the 2000s. In each case, nostalgia about traditional footwear is very high among soldiers. The Ukrainian army held a special farewell ceremony for its footwraps, with soldiers reciting poetry and fairy tales about them.
In the Russian army, footwraps are still used for tasks that require heavy boots up to 2013, as they are considered to fit with standard boots. Because of their relationship with the Russian army, footwraps are called chaussettes russes (Russian stockings) in French.
See also
- Puttee
References
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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